Democratic Left Party of Turkey

The Democratic Left Party (DSP) is a social democratic political party in Turkey that was founded by Rahsan Ecevit and her husband, the former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, in 1985. Bulent Ecevit, who was banned from politics by the military dictatorship, rallied support for the party while serving as a "guest speaker" at DSP events during the 1980s. In 1997, the DSP joined Mesut Yilmaz's coalition government, and Bulent Ecevit became Deputy Prime Minister under Prime Minister Yilmaz. In 1999, Ecevit formed a minority government of the DSP, and the capture of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan boosted Yilmaz's popularity. The DSP, Nationalist Movement Party, and Motherland Party of Turkey coalition changed 34 articles of the Constitution, pursuing social and economic reforms. However, internal divisions in the DSP led to electoral defeat in 2002, and the DSP became a minor party.